Combined voice panel and gun port



Sept. 26, 1933. J. B. GANDER 1,928,013

COMBINED VOICE PANEL AND GUN PORT Filed Sept. 21, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 3 O Q Zia/ 211101111 J o o 7 1/ 1 P Z 1 (J i 4 4 p o o o M- y L-- +6 F/j' fiy i I J05PH .5 64mm? IN VEN TOR A TTORNE Y p 1933- J. B. GANDER 1,928,013

I COMBINED VOICE PANEL AND GUN PORT Filed Sept. 21. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOJL'PH 5 64/7052 IN VENTOR A TTORNE Y Patented Sept. 26, 1933 COMBINED VOICE PANEL AND GUN PORT Joseph .B. Gander,v St. Louis, Mo., assignor to St. Louis Bank Building 8; Equipment Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application September 21, 1932 Serial No. 634,123

7 Claims.

This invention relates to combined voice panels and gun ports, and particularly to devices of that general character for use in constructing banditproof tellers cages and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bullet-proof speaking panel in the form of a pilaster to be used between sections of bullet=-' proof glass in a tellers cage.

It is a further object of this invention to construct a pilaster of the above described character, having a gun port at a convenient location therein, and to provide means for opening or closing the gun port from the inside of the tellers cage.

The invention will be better understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, referring to which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the voice panel and gun port.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the combined voice panel and gun port.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2 taken along the line 33 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2, taken along the line 4-4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 5-5 of Figures 1 and 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional View taken along the broken line 66 of Figures 1 and 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the gun port in closed position.

Figure '7 shows the same structure as Figure 6, except that the gun port is in open position.

Figure 8 is a detail View showing the latch 14.

The reference numeral 1 indicates a pair of angle bars mounted in parallel relation to each other and adapted to form the inside surface of the voice panel. The reference numeral 2 indicates a pair of parallel Z-bars which are connected together by the members 3, 4 and 5. This connection is preferably made by welding, but screws numeral 6 indicates an angle bar of special formation to serve as a shield as indicated in Figure 3, and is welded at its end to the members 3 and 4. It will be noted that the members 3, 4 and 5 are of angle formation, standard shapes and sizes being preferably used. The members 3, 4 and 5 are mounted with one of their sides flush with the outer angle 8 of the Z-bars 2 and are connected thereto by welding as indicated by the dotted lines 7 in Figure 1.

A plate 9 of bullet-resisting metal, is let into angle bars in assembled relation.

a corresponding slitlO in the intermediate 'sec- 7' tions of the Z-bars 2. This plate is provided with a gun port 11,.which is normally closed by sliding door 12. The sliding dooor hasa pair of screws 13 fixed thereto and a hook or latch 14 of sub-' stantially T beam formation, is loosely hung on the screws. i

A pair of angle members 15 are attached to the Z-bars 2 as indicated in Figure 4. Sufficient space is left between the edges of the member 15 and the inside of the plate 10 to permit the sliding gate 11 to operate freely. The lower ends of the members 15 serve as a stop for the latch 14, which drops into engagement therewith by gravity whenever the sliding gate 11 islowered to the position shown in Figure 6;

A suitable screw 16 is provided foradjustably connecting the angle members 1 with thez-bars 2, and as will be noted in Figures 3, 4 and 5 the pilaster is held in position with respect to the glass 17 by means of the outer flanges 8 of the Z-bars and the'outer angles of the membersl.

In operation, the sound waves may freely pass thru the panel as indicated by the arrows in Figure 3, so that two persons standing on opposite sides of the panel may converse freely'and without effort. Ventilation is also provided in the same manner. 'It will be understood that the voicepanels are mounted at each side of the tellers window which is formed of bullet-proof glass, and is preferably of the type having a means of which money may be passed from one side to the other but which prevents the insertion of a weapon thru any opening. The teller may depressed deal tray, or other arrangement by' open the gun port by pressing a gun barrel against the latch 14, by means of which it may be displaced and released from engagement with the lower end of the member 15; The gate 11 may then be freely lifted by pressing the gun barrel against the member 14, and when releasedv the gate or trap will be closed and locked automatically. or rivets may be used if desired. The reference It will be noted that the rearwardly extending portion 17 of the member 14 serves as a counterbalance to the forwardly extending portion 18, so that the tendency of the hook is to hang vertically from the screws 13. I

I claim:

1. A pilaster for tellers cages and the like comprising a pair of parallel Z-bars, an angle member mounted parallel to said Z-bars and spaced substantially the same distance from each bar and cross members for holding said Z-bars and said 2. A pilaster for tellers cages and the like comprising a pair of parallel Z-bars, an angle member mounted parallel to said Z-bars and spaced substantially the same distance from each bar, cross members for holding said Z-bars and said angle'bars in assembled relation, and a pair of 'angle members detachably connected to said Z-bars.

3. In a voice panel for tellers cages and the like, a pair of vertically extending Z-bars, the edges of said bars at the front. of said panel being turned outwardly and lying in the plane ofthe front of the panel, a vertically extending angle member having the convex side of its angle turned to the front to form a deflecting shield, said angle member being spaced from said Z-bars, cross members for holding said angle members and said Z-bars in assembled relation, said Z-bars extending downwardly beyond the end of said angle members, a plate connecting said Z-bars below said angle members and a port hole in said plate.

4. In a voice panel for tellers cages and the like, a pair of vertically extending Z-bars, the edges of said bars at the front of said panel being turned outwardly and lying inthe plane of the front of the panel, a vertically extending angle member having the vertex of its angle turned to the front, said member being spaced from said Z-bars, cross members for holding said angle members and said Z-bars in assembled relation, said Z-bars extending downwardly beyond the end of said angle members, a plate connecting said Z-bars below said angle members, a port hole in said plate, and a trap door for said port hole.

5. In a voice panel for tellers cages and the like, a pair of vertically extending Z-bars, the edges of said bars at the front of said panel being turned outwardly and lying in the plane of the front of the panel, a vertically extending angle member being spaced from said Z-bars, cross members for holding said angle members and said Z-bars in assembled relation, said Z-bars extending downwardly beyond the end of said angle members, a plate connecting said Z-bars below said angle member, a port hole in said plate, a trap door for said port hole, and a latch for said trap door, said latch comprising a hook suspended from said trap door.

6. A voice transmitting, bullet-resisting pilaster for tellers cages and the like comprising a pair of Z-bars having outwardly extending edges substantially in the plane of the front of said pilaster and inwardly extending edges at the rear, a'pair of angle members, each having a side of its angle disposed in the plane of the rear of said pilaster,

each of said angle members having an inturned edge extending between the edges of the Z-bars, and substantially spaced from each other, said Z-bars and said angle members forming a channel at the outer edges of the pilaster, means for detachably and adjustably connecting the angle member to the Z-bars, and a substantially vertical shield member mounted between said Z-bars, said shield member being spaced at all points from said Z-bars and said angle members to permit the passage of air therethru.

.7. A voice panel for tellers cages and the like comprising parallel spaced Z-bars, each of said bars having an outwardly extending edge at the front of said panel and anlinwardly extending edge at the rear of said panel, angle members mounted transversely with respect to said Z-bars for holding the same in assembled relation, the outer side of said angle member being substantially fiush at the front of said panel, a shield member mounted parallel and in spaced relation to said Z-bars, and a pair of angle members detachably and adjustably connected to said Z-bars, said angle members'being spaced from each other and from said shield members to permit ventilation and the passage of sound.

, JOSEPH B. GANDER. 

